Permutation-lock



(Model.)

E. A. ENGLIN. PBRMUTATION 1.00K.V

Patented Mal 22, 1892.

UNITED STATES ERIC A. ENGLIN, OF STILLVATER, MINNESOTA, ASSIGN OR TO J. E. GAGNELIUS,A

PATENT OFFICE OF SAME PLACE, AND F. L. ENGLIN, OF OSOEOLA, WISCONSIN.

PERM UTATION-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,498, dated March 22, 1892. Application'filed August 3, 1891. Serial 110.401,617. (Model.)

To all-whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERIC A. ENGLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Still-y water, in the county of Vashington and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Permutation-Locks; and I do hereby declare the following to loe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide a permutation-lock which shall be of such simple and cheap construction that it may be employed on trunks, doors, and in other similar uses where key-locks are now employed.

To this end I employ as t-he principal features of my device a movable locking bolt or plunger, a detent for controlling the same, and a series of-independently-movable pieces, which, as shown, are slides provided with notches engageable with the 'detent. These setting-pieces and their notches are so positioned and related to the engaging portions of the detent that when the notches are moved or assembled into certain predetermined positions relative thereto the detent will be released and permit the locking-bolt to be moved into an unlocked position; but when any of the notches are in any other position the detent will be held and the lockingbolt loe secured in a locked position. Both the locking-bolt and setting-pieces are provided with projecting lugs, which extend through slots to the outside of the case, by which they are moved into their different positions. The lugs on the setting-slidesl are pointed and co-operate with a scale marked or secured on the front face of the lock-case.- In other words, the projections and scale constitute an indicator. The registering positions of the notches on the setting-slides with the engaging portion of the detent correspond to the registering positions of the respective indicator lingers or lugs with some predetermined positions on the scale. The combination of positions is preferably set to require an irregular orderof manipulation, and the combination may be changed at will. The discovery of this combination by experiment would be practically impossible, as the number of permutations offered by the notches and different positions in which they maybe set are very great.

My invention also comprises other supplementary devices and peculiarities in construction, all of which appear in the following description, and are more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which show my preferred form as constructed for use for `a trunk-lock, like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views. All the views are in perspective.

Figures l and 3 are rear views with the rear plate removed, showing the locking-bolt respectively in a locked and an unlocked position. Figs. 2 and 4 are front views, respectively, of Figs. 1 and 35 and Fig. 5 is an inside `view of the rear plate removed. Figs. 6,'7,

and 8 are views of a shield or concealing-cover for the lock. Fig. 9 is a detail of one of the notched'setting-slides and its carrier-slide detached, and Fig. lOis a detail of a settingslide.

la is the lock-case, provided with a detachable back a. n

b is the locking-bolt working through a perforation a2 in one end of the case and near its inner end between guides a3.

c are the notched setting-slides, provided with the notches c and d are carrying-slides, having a block-like head d at one end, to which the setting-slides are detachably secured. Both the carrying-slides and the notched slides work in keepers a4, cut in the supports a5, secured, respectively, to the front and rear plates of t-he lock-case.

fis the detent,pivoted to the case atf,eX tending under the locking-bolt, then curved upward into the inward path of the plunger, as shown at f2, andthen turned downward and provided with steps f 3 for engaging the notches c and the setting-slides c. The detent is held to work against the inner end of the locking-bolt by a finger h', depending from the locking-bolt b and engaging the under side of the detent. In the locked position the engaging steps f3 of the detent rest on the upper face of the notched settingslides, with the upcurved portion f2 in the IOO inward path of the locking-bolt. NVhen the notches are all brought to registration with the said steps f3, the detent may be forced downward and the locking-bolt moved inward or unlocked. The locking-bolt is moved by the projecting lug or knob b2, and the notched setting-slides are moved and their positions indicated on the scale g by the projecting pointer-lugs c2.

g is a retaining-iin ger engageable with the lugs b2 and c2, after the bolt is locked, for holding them, as shown in Fig. 2. is pivoted to the case at g2 and has a square shaft g3, extending into the case, which is engaged by a iiat spring g4 for holding the iinger in either of two positions, as shown in Figs.Y 2 and 4. The notched setting-slides are made interchangeable to permit variation of the combination.

Each setting-slide is provided with a notch on both bottom and top, which permits a change in the combination by turning them over, and the notches are so located that the relative position of the notches may again be changed by reversing them eudwise. This arrangement of the notches gives four changes to each slide, and the slides are interchangeable with each other. By providing notches on the four sides of the setting each slide would give eight changes. Comparatively few slides constructed in this way will afford a large number` of permutations. Referring to Figs. 6, 7, and 8, 7c and Z are parallel brackets secured, respectively, over and under the lock. In the bracket lc is pivotally and yieldingly mounted a shield orleaf m, having a square shank n, engaged by a [iat spring p, which permits a vertical movement of the leaf and also serves to hold it in an open or raised position, as shown in Fig. 8. The bottom of this leaf m is provided with a depending lip m', which is engageable in a groove Z of bracket Z for securing the same in its latched or closed position, as shown in Fig. 6. The shield is also provided with a finger-catch m2, by which it may be raised or unlatched, as shown in Fig. 7.

o" in Figs. l and 3 represents the hasp of the lock secured to the lid of the trunk or other pat in position to be engaged by the lock- The operation of the parts has already been described.

The advantage of the lock is that it offers the security of a combination-lock at a relatively low price, inasmuch as the parts are This linger g simple and cheaply made, thus enabling the useol' thesame in many places where keylocks would be otherwise used on account of cost.

It will of course be understood that the principle is capable of a diversity of constructions. The lock-bolt and setting-pieces, for example, could be of different shape and the other parts correspondinglymodiied without departing from the spirit of my invention. y

What l claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

l. The combination,with the lock-case a d', of the locking-bolt b, the detent f, having the vsteps f3, the carrier-slides d, having headblocks d', the ,proj ectionsV c2, working through slots in the case, and the setting-slidesc, hav

ing notches c', detachably connected to the said head-blocks d on the carrier-blocks d, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the lock-case, ot' the notched setting-slides, the carrier-slides connected thereto and provided with projections working through slots in thehcase, and the spring-held finger g for holding the slides, substantially as described.

3. A shield for a lock, comprising a bracket 7c, securable above the part to be protected, a bracket Z, secured below the part to be protected and provided with a recess or groove Z', the leaf or plate m, pivoted to the bracket 7c and provided with the square portion n, and the spring p, seated in the bracket and bearing against the square part of said plate for holding it in its closed or open position, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the slotted lookcase, of the carrier-slide d, having the headblock d', the projection c2 of the setting-slide c, having the notches c', and the guide-blocks a5, having the grooves or guideways a4 for said slides, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the lock-case a a', having the scale g, of the locking-bolt b, the detentf f f2 f3, as described, the finger Z9', the guide-blocks a4 a5, the carrier-slides d cl cl2, and the notched setting-slides c c', all arranged and operating substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afxmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERIC A. ENGLIN. Witnesses:

Louis L. MANWARING, ANNIE CoNNoRs.

IOO 

